Black Quaker Anthropologist and Educator

Vera Green (1928-1982) was an educator, social scientist, and author. Specifically, she made important contributions to the study of Black families, Caribbean cultures, and poverty. She was also a dedicated member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Early Life and Education

Vera Green was born in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up attending the 57th Street Meeting of Friends in Chicago. Later, she studied at William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Friends (Quakers) founded this college. There, Green studied sociology and psychology.

In 1952, Green earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Roosevelt College in Chicago. After graduation, she worked at various social welfare jobs in the city. These experiences shaped her understanding of poverty and its effects on communities.

Eventually, Green moved to New York to study anthropology at Columbia University. She received her Master of Arts degree in 1955. Then, she began working in international community development with the United Nations. Throughout her career, she cared deeply about international human rights. Her work contributed significantly to inter-ethnic studies, Black family studies, and the study of poverty.

Groundbreaking Research

In 1963, Green served as a research assistant to American anthropologist Oscar Lewis. Together, they studied poor urban areas in Puerto Rico and New York. After completing this fieldwork, Green entered a doctoral program at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Green conducted her doctoral research on the Caribbean island of Aruba. As a result, she earned her Ph.D. in Anthropology in 1969. Notably, she became one of the first African American anthropologists to study ethnic relations in the Caribbean. Furthermore, she was the first to focus on Dutch Caribbean culture.

Academic Career and Achievements

Green held several important positions throughout her career. For example, she served as supervising anthropologist for a research project in Aruba. From 1969 to 1972, she worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Houston. Later, she became an Associate Professor at Livingston College and Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Throughout her work, Green challenged assumptions about Black communities. She pushed People of Color around her to reject the inequality that society imposed on them. She refused to accept the idea that Black people should not hold important job titles or pursue scientific careers. Additionally, she conducted extensive fieldwork and wrote publications on aging, international human rights, migration, and applied anthropology.

Research on Black Quakers

In 1973, Friends General Conference (FGC) asked Green to study why more Black people did not join the Religious Society of Friends. FGC wanted to understand “the problems of, and possible approaches for, attracting more Black members.” Her findings would be shared at a June 1973 session of FGC.

In her report, “Blacks and Quakerism: A Preliminary Report,” Green described her research methods. She interviewed fourteen people in person or by phone. Eleven of these respondents were African American. Of those eleven, six were Friends. Only one was a birthright Friend (someone born into a Quaker family). The five non-Friends did not belong to other churches and worked in various professions. All but two of the African Americans had connections to Quaker schools or colleges.

Green’s research revealed several significant findings. First, most African Americans knew little about Quakerism before their introduction to it. Second, those who did know about it tended to share socioeconomic and educational backgrounds similar to those of white Friends. Third, the features that attracted Black people to Quakerism included patience, casual dress, lack of ceremony, and general Quaker “understanding towards humanity.”

However, Green also found concerns. Some respondents saw Quaker patience as a way to “cop out” of the racial conflict of the time. Others felt confused about the terms “peaceful,” “passive,” and “passive resistance.” For some, these terms felt too closely associated with the submissiveness that enslaved people had to show to survive.

Leadership and Legacy

During her academic career, Green served in many leadership roles. For instance, she directed the Mid-Atlantic Council for Latin American Studies. She also served as convener of Quaker anthropologists. Additionally, she was active in the Society for Applied Anthropology and served as president of the Association of Black Anthropologists.

In each organization, Green encouraged African Americans and other people of Color from around the world to pursue careers in anthropology. She mentored countless students and opened doors for future generations of scholars.

After a long fight against cancer, Green died on January 17, 1982. Her passion for anthropology and her encouragement of African American, Puerto Rican, and other students of Color remained strong until her final days. Today, the Association of Black Anthropologists honors her legacy through the Vera Green Publication Award.

Learn more about other African American Quakers who shaped history, or explore FGC’s Ministry on Racism program.

Resources on Vera Green

About the Author

Vanessa Julye, retired Associate Secretary for Organizational Cultural Transformation, is the co-author of Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship: Quakers, African Americans, and the Myth of Racial Justice.

Updated by FGC Ministry on Racism Staff on December 09, 2025

Download a Vera Green Profile

Get Involved

FGC’s Ministry on Racism program continues to honor the legacy of Black Quakers like Vera Green. Please email the Ministry on Racism team at alician@fgcquaker.org or shainar@fgcquaker.org to learn more or to get involved.

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